MEXICO EARTHQUAKE RELIEF UPDATE DECEMBER 2021
TOTAL IMPACT 75
STUDENTS IMPACTED
58
VOLUNTEERS
1,525 1
VOLUNTEER DAYS SCHOOL IN PROGRESS
Current Activities It has been an exciting month in Albarradas as progress on Guillermo Prieto Primary School moves forward. The successful pour of the grade beam marked the completion of the foundations of the new building. One of our incredible masons, Felix, provided the volunteers with training on bricklaying, and they have been busy building the walls of the new school building. The team is now working with the rebar and formwork ready for the second beam pour and bricklaying will continue on top of this. It’s an exciting stage of the project as the walls go up and the new building starts to take shape! Meanwhile, repair work on the other three buildings continue. Volunteers have been working hard tiling the bathrooms and adding their creativity in the shape of a beautiful mosaic around the sink.
Program Spotlight: Tele-Secondary School We are delighted to begin work at the Tele-Secondary School in Albarradas this month. This short-term, community-led project is additional to our original scope of work and was initiated by the local community. We are excited to collaborate with them to provide vital repair work to the school. This work will involve minor repairs including treating for mold across the water-damaged walls and ceilings, waterproofing the walls and ceiling with sealant and adding the final touches by repainting the waterproofed areas. Additional work includes repairing the school’s water tank by filling in the current cracks and gaps so it can again provide students with access to clean water.
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Photos: (Top) Volunteers and local masons busy with the grade beam pour; (Left) Volunteers learning bricklaying with a mason.
Disaster Profile In September 2017, one of the most lethal earthquakes in Mexican history hit close to the southern state of Chiapas, with a devastating magnitude of 8.2. Just 12 days later and a few hundred miles away, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked central Mexico, toppling buildings, breaking gas mains, knocking out electricity and sparking fires across the city and other towns in central Mexico.
Our Work Our efforts in Mexico began in 2007 after the Tabasco floods. When the 2017 earthquakes shook southern Mexico, we intensified support through the application of our unique volunteer model in the impacted areas. Volunteers began work in March 2018 in El Jicarero, Morelos, to reconstruct and retrofit two primary schools. Since then, we’ve run three volunteer programs in Oaxaca and have rebuilt another six schools, including playgrounds, libraries and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) facilities. In addition to our construction work on the schools, our teams collaborate with local partners to identify Renewal Projects with an aim to build community resilience. To date, we’ve implemented three community Disaster Risk Reduction training programs, reactivated a community waste management system and piloted an agricultural education program. We’re delighted to continue our work in Mexico on Escuela Primaria Guillermo Prieto, which will mark our 21st school rebuild in Mexico.
About All Hands and Hearts
We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure. Photos: (top to bottom) Tiling in the bathroom is nearly complete; Volunteer prepping the formwork for the grade beam pour; Pouring concrete for the grade beam.
Our Partners
We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator for the seventh year in a row. This year only seven percent of rated nonprofits received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.
info@allhandsandhearts.org